AsiaSat 5, a new 8,289-pound [3,760-kg] broadcasting and networking satellite for Asia, was bolted atop the Russian booster for the launch. The spacecraft will be operated by Hong Kong-based Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. The spacecraft carries 26 C-band transponders able to reach more than 53 countries spanning from Russia to New Zealand and from Japan to parts of Africa, according to AsiaSat. AsiaSat 5's 14 Ku-band transponders will be attached to beams covering East Asia and South Asia. A third Ku-band beam can be switched to satisfy market demands. Designed for a 15-year lifetime, the satellite will replace the aging AsiaSat 2 platform launched in 1995.